76 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



In the Halomgece,^ the flower of which has many analogies with that 

 of the Gorfiece, the raphe is dorsal as in the latter ; but the habit is 

 different ; the fruit, finally dry and indehiscent, 2-4-merous like the 

 ovary, and the flowers, nearly always diplostemonous,^ very often 

 polygamous or monoecious. It has been seen that we divide this 

 family into two series : — 



I. CoENEiE. — Flowers 4, 6-merous, rarely 6-merous, hermaphro- 

 dite or unisexual, with simple or double perianth. Ovarian cells 

 complete and placentas axile. Seeds without aril. Inflorescence in 

 ramified or capitate cymes. — 7 genera. 



II. Gaebye^e.' — Flowers 4-merous, unisexual, with simple perianth 

 (corolla ?). Ovarian cells incomplete and placentas parietal. Seeds 

 arillate. Inflorescence amentiform. — 1 genus. 



Uses.* — The plants of this family are generally rich in tannic 

 substances,' particularly in their bark, more rarely in their leaves and 

 green fruit ; which has led to their being extolled as astringent, tonic, 

 febrifuge. This property is especially developed in the bark of 

 Gornus florida ^ (fig. 46), which, in N. America, is esteemed as equal 

 to that of the Cinchonas. Its wood, of a brown chocolate colour, is 

 of great hardness. G. mas'' (fig. 47-51), an indigenous species, with 

 precocious yellow fiowers, was formerly employed as an astringent ; 

 its leaves and bark were chiefly esteemed. Its elongate, drupaceous 

 fruit ^ has a flesh at first harsh, then sweet and acidulous, also em- 



by some (B. H. Gen. 939) among the Araliaeea, he connects with the HmuamelidetB. 



beside Meryta, cannot be near the latter, which * Endl. Enchirid. 397. — Lindl. Veg. Kingd. 



has the raphe ventral. Decaisne places Hel- (1846)782. — Mosssr-K.Synops.Pl.Diaphor.5%9. 



wingia " in relation with the Araliacecs," not * Geiger {Ann. Chem. und. Fharm. xiv. 266) 



very clearly, as might be expected of one who has extracted a bitter substance, in needle-like 



{Bull. Soe. JBot. Fr. ii. 87) in 1855 took Folyosma crystals, called cornine or comic acid. 



fot Cornem ? (See Bttll. Soc. linn. Far. 139.) ^ L. Spec. 1661.— Catesb. Carol, t. 27. — Mer. 



' DucHARTRE {EUm. edit. 2, 1123) distin- et Del. Diet. Mat. Med. ii. 436. — Curt. Bot. 



guishes the latter by their pluriovnlate cells. Mag.t. 526. — Bigel. Med. Bot. ii. t. 28. — GuiMP. 



' The only exception is in the genus Fro- Ahb. Holz. t. 19. — Eaein. Med. Bot. t. 28. — 



serpinaca the androecium of which is isoste- Schm. (Estr. Bnumz. ii. t. 52. — DC. Prodr. iv. 



monous. 273, n. 14. — Lindl. Fl.Med. 81 {Dogwood bark). 



3 Garryacem Lindl, Bot. Reg. t. 1686; Veg. ' L. Spec. 171. — Sibth. El. Grcec. t. 161. — 



Kiiigd. (1846) 295, Ord. 97.— Endl. Gen. 288. Turp. Bid. Sc. Nat. Atl. 1. 103.— DC. Pj-o^^)-. n. 



Decaisne wrongly retains the genus 5i«imon&iB 13. — Gren. et Gode. El.- de Fr. ii. 2. — Guib. 



in this group, of which he gives other erroneous Prog. SimpV. edit. 6, iii. 199. — C. miucula Auctt. 

 characters, particularly of the ovary, and which ' Eed, violet, white or yellow. 



